Denmark Withholds Aid To Tanzania Over 'Homophobic Comments'

By

Carlos Santoscoy

|
November 15, 2018

Citing “unacceptable homophobic
comments” made by a government official, Denmark on Wednesday said
it would withhold $10 million in aid to Tanzania.

“I am very worried about the negative
development in Tanzania, the latest being the completely unacceptable
homophobic statements from a commissioner,” Minister for
Development Cooperation Ulla Tornaes tweeted.

According to Reuters, Denmark is
Tanzania's second-largest donor.

While Tornaes did not name the
official, the news comes after the regional governor of Tanzania's
largest city, Dar es Salaam, asked the public to help identify people
suspected of being gay.

Gay sex is illegal in Tanzania, where
violators face up to 30 years in prison.

Last week, the European Union recalled
its envoy in Tanzania, citing “the deterioration of the human
rights and rule of law situation” in Tanzania.

Denmark's decision came on the same day
that the World Bank announced that it would not move forward on a
plan to loan Tanzania $300 million. Officials said that the decision
was based on the nation making it a crime to question official
statistics.